The invention concerns a wristwatch bracelet of the type comprising a flexible one-piece core, on which decorative elements are mounted in spaced-apart relationship, the decorative elements spaced apart by spacers mounted on the core, and also concerns a process for the production of such a wristwatch bracelet.
A wristwatch bracelet of the kind set forth above is known from European Publication 0 283 883-B1. The flexible core of that known wristwatch bracelet comprises a single material or a combination of materials. Preferably the core comprises silicone and a reinforcement extending in the longitudinal direction. That reinforcement is preferably a thin steel foil which is enclosed in the silicone core. Each of the individual decorative elements of that known wristwatch bracelet comprises lower and upper elements which are made from elastic material and are latched together. In that respect, the upper and the lower elements are of such a shape that they can be assembled, that is to say latched together, to form a respective decorative element, or can be taken apart. However, the operation of assembling the decorative elements from upper and lower elements involves a considerable amount of work. Likewise, particularly after such a bracelet has been in use for a long period of time, there exists the possibility of upper and lower elements of a decorative element becoming accidentally separated from each other and then lost.
A fancy article which may be for example a wristwatch bracelet is known from European Publication No. 0 198 279-Bl. That known bracelet has a core comprising a thermoplastic material and decorative elements which enclose the core over a part of its length. Each of the decorative elements comprises a second thermoplastic material and is fixedly joined to the core. In that arrangement the fixed connection between the core and the decorative element can be achieved by adhesion of the two plastic materials, but it is also possible for the core to be formed integrally with projections which latchingly engage into openings provided in the decorative elements. In the case of that known band-like fancy article, the decorative elements are arranged on the core in such a way that they cannot be lost, but the mechanical strength or the fatigue-strength characteristics of the band-like fancy article is dependent solely on the choice of material for the thermoplastic material of the core.
A bracelet comprising a flat flexible article is disclosed in German Document DE-86 02 996-Ul. On an inner side of the flat flexible article (facing the user's arm) there is a non-flexible, comparatively hard flexible member whose edges are flanged over in such a way that they enclose or embrace the edges of the flat flexible article.
European Publication No. 0 570 638-Al discloses a stretchable link-type bracelet for a wristwatch. It is proposed therein that each link be provided on its outside with a decorative element of plastic material.
French Patent 2,199,955 describes a watch bracelet having a flexible core with decorative elements arranged on the flexible core and which, similarly to the decorative elements referred to above as disclosed in EPO 0 283 883-Bl, are of a two-part configuration, that is to say, they have upper and lower elements which are assembled to form a respective unit. Consequently, the assembly and production expenditure for that wristwatch bracelet is comparable to that of the above-mentioned wristwatch bracelet disclosed in EPO 0 283 883-Bl.
European Publication No. 0 167 891-Bl discloses a wristwatch bracelet having a plurality of elements which are hingedly connected together and which form the links of the bracelet. The links engage directly one into the other and are held together by means of two flexible, non-stretchable bands. Those two bands extend through openings which are provided in each of the links on both sides of the longitudinal axis of the bracelet. With that known wristwatch bracelet therefore it is necessary for two bands to be threaded through the two openings in the links. In addition in this case the individual links bear directly and immediately against each other so that wear of the links is inevitable, in particular after the wristwatch bracelet has been in service for a long period of time.
German Document DE 85 34 115-Ul discloses a wristwatch bracelet which, similarly to the last-mentioned wristwatch bracelet disclosed in EPO 0 167 891-Bl, has bracelet links with lateral through holes for two bands. Between each pair of adjacent bracelet links of a first kind are bracelet links of a second kind so that the bracelet links of the second kind alternate with the first bracelet links. The first bracelet links are preferably of a leaf-like configuration, and the second bracelet links which are arranged between them are in the form of a roller or ball. Threading the two lateral bands both through the first and second links involves a considerable degree of manufacturing expenditure.